'Shrek the Musical' brings 500 audience members opening night
With approximately 15 songs, 33 cast members, a 500-member audience and one ogre, the Central Michigan University Michigan University Theatre Department held the sold-out opening night of "Shrek the Musical" Nov. 7 in Bush Theatre.
Among the audience were family and friends of cast members, theater lovers and community members. This two-hour and 40-minute production was full of eccentric "Shrek" characters from the popular DreamWorks film, including the three little pigs, three blind mice, the Fairy Godmother, Ugly Duckling, three bears and Pinocchio -- among others -- all who crashed Shrek’s swamp after he kicked them out.
Each musical number was accompanied by music from the Central Michigan University Orchestra. The musical gave an opportunity for a variety of ages to participate in live theater and gave a short backstory to young Shrek, Fiona, Tinker Bell and Grumpy the Dwarf, all while singing their stories live.
"The most exciting thing about live theater (like 'Shrek the Musical') is the fact that it’s live theater,” said Kalamazoo freshman Isaac Clemens. “These people are getting on stage and they’re exposed to us. They’re completely live and they’re telling a story. They don’t get to hide behind a screen.”
With song and dance, the original plot of the DreamWorks film unfolded as the fairy-tale characters shared their struggles and fought against Lord Farquaad.
The audience enjoyed the comedic characters as well as their passion to perform.
”The most exciting thing about seeing ('Shrek the Musical') is just seeing people do what they love and expressing themselves in this way,” said Bay Port junior Halle Keim.
While some were attracted to the action and characters on stage, others enjoyed the artistic layout of a large-scale theater production.
“The most exciting thing was the staging” said Ionia freshman Jose Velasco “back home our stage was really small compared to this one. Everything was much bigger and produced well; I really liked it.”
